


The Jingle Jangle Shamble

by thatonelucky



Category: Betty Cooper - Fandom, Jetty - Fandom, Jughead Jones - Fandom, betty and jughead, betty x jughead - Fandom, bughead - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 02:40:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12807858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatonelucky/pseuds/thatonelucky
Summary: Betty turns to Jingle Jangle in order to stay awake and find out the identity of the Black Hood. Two days after beginning to take the drug, Jughead finds her in the Blue&Gold shaking to the point where she can’t even hold a pen, looking utterly exhausted. He quickly discovers the source of Betty’s trembling





	The Jingle Jangle Shamble

                Betty felt like she was drowning. The air had been kicked out of her lungs and she had no safety rope to latch onto. There was nothing that could pull her up to the surface. The only thing she ever wanted now hates her. The look he gave her broke her heart in two. She wanted desperately to hold him close and tell him it was all a lie but she didn’t have the right to. She couldn’t put his life at risk for such a selfish reason.

                She hadn’t slept in a week, she was weak. The sound of the lollipop theme tune engrained in her brain, keeping her from closing her eyes for more than a few seconds at a time. At first, she drank coffee and drank energy drinks to keep herself awake. She was fully aware of the risks but she knew what she was doing. She stayed up all day and all night, never stopping once. At first she was only researching lightly. But the more she heard about Jughead the harder she worked herself. Her main aim was to discover who the black hood was. She didn’t know how, but she knew she had to do it. Not just for her, but for the people who died and the people who have been hurt by this predator.

                The thought had never crossed her mind before, it never would have. But the energy that she saw at Veronica’s party only made her indulge the idea more. It was harmless, she wouldn’t have too much. It’s a onetime thing.

                And so, as evident as ever, the onetime thing turned into a bedtime ritual. Betty thought she could stop whenever she wanted, she knew she had good self-control. She would never let drugs control her. Right? Wrong. Betty couldn’t stop herself from using the drug as an escape. Her usual tight ponytail transformed into a curly mess of golden waves, being a good hiding spot for her red rimmed eyes to back away from direct contact with anything else. Betty couldn’t focus on her grades, her friends didn’t care about her anymore, Betty was spiralling and no one noticed. Well, not until now.

 

                Betty had been hiding out in the Blue and Gold offices for most of her time at school. The  
 dusty office reminded her of the good times with her and Jughead before any of this crazy mess happened. She likes to stand and watch certain spaces, acting out in her head the stages of Jughead falling in love with her. A stray tear fell from her eye as she was staring at the very spot where Jughead’s desk used to be. Before he ultimately left her.

                Betty was writing up some drafts for a new issue of the paper but her hands were shaking too much. She couldn’t tell if it was from the drugs, the lack of sleep or the dull ache in her heart whenever the thought of Jughead crosses her mind. She just sits and stares for a while, letting herself fall back into the warm memories of the first time Jughead kissed her, the first time Jughead held her hand, the first time Jughead called her his girlfriend and the first time Jughead said he loved her.

                “I love you,  Betty Cooper.” “I love you,  Betty Cooper.” “I love you,  Betty Cooper.” “I love you,  Betty Cooper.” “I love you,  Betty Cooper.” The words replayed over and over again in her head. Her mind was spinning with pictures of his smile, the way he held her waist, the kisses he would leave just behind her ear. Everything was so familiar.

                “Jughead Jones, I love you.” She spoke out to the empty desk chair opposite her.  She attempted to pick up the pen again, her whole body wracking and uncontrollable. She closed her eyes and prayed for some control. Control.

                “Betts?” A rush of urgency was filled in that voice. The same voice that occupied her thoughts at that very moment. If he wasn’t in a Serpent jacket, Betty might have thought that it was her mind playing tricks on her. But inevitably, he was stood 6 feet away from her, a look of panic etched on his features. She had no words to speak, her body shivered at a faster rate, craving a release.

                “I-I- I’m sorry Juggie.” Betty stuttered over her words, her head feeling very dizzy suddenly. In an instant Jughead was at her side, catching her before she fell to the floor unconscious. Her body was still shaking but she was unresponsive. He screamed for help, ripping his phone from his back pocket and dialling 911. All he could do was hold her tight and cry into the hair atop her head.

                Jughead couldn’t remember much of what happened after that. It was all a blur of tears, paramedics and a hospital waiting room. She’d been in the recovery room for almost 2 hours now. No one was allowed to see her. Alice and Hal had rushed from work to the hospital. Upon finding Jughead crying in a hospital chair, Alice said no words but pulled him into an embrace, letting her own tears flow freely. Alice may be stone cold, but she’s not heartless.

                “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get there sooner and I didn’t see the signs. If she dies I don’t know how I’ll cope. I love Betty more than I’ve ever loved anything.” Jughead sobbed, the shaking of his body much like Betty’s. He hoped to the Lord above that she would pull through. Alice only stroked his hair, keeping him in her arms until he calmed down. He wondered if this was what having a mother was like. Maybe something close would do.                              

                “Family of Elizabeth Cooper?” A man in scrubs walked down the hallway, searching for the Cooper family in question. Hal stood up immediately, ushering the man over. “She’s stable; the drug mixed with the exhaustion caused her to have a seizure. We managed to reduce the drug level in her blood but right now she’s resting. You can go in and see her I’ll just need a parent or guardian to come and sign some paperwork for me?” Everyone sighed in relief, she was stable and that’s all the mattered. Hal offered to go and sign the paperwork whilst Alice and Jughead rushed to Betty’s room.

                “She looks so frail. So drained of life.” Alice cried quietly, walking over to the bed Betty was asleep on. She wasn’t wrong. Betty’s skin was a whiter shade of pale, her hair looked messy, and she looked weak. “That’s not my Betty. Someone has to have forced her. There has to be another side of the story.” Alice sat next to Betty’s bed, grasping Betty’s cold hand in her own. Jughead followed in suit, mumbling agreeance before seating himself on the opposite side of Betty.

                Not much more was said that night. Alice and Jughead slept beside Betty in their respective chairs whilst Hal had volunteered to take the floor. All of them waiting for Betty to wake up. And when she did, she told them the truth.

                “The black hood’s been harassing me for a few weeks. He made me cut off Veronica and Jughead. He said that if I didn’t he’d-“Betty stopped, looking at her hands as if any of this was her fault. “He said he would kill them. I had no choice. I was so alone and I figured if I found out who the Black Hood was then I could get back to Juggie quicker.” She paused again, glancing at Jughead who squeezed her hand reassuringly, giving her a loving stare. “I started to take Jingle Jangle to stay awake. I was prepared to do anything if it meant getting my life back quicker. Then this happened and I’m so sorry.” Betty sobbed lightly.

                “Betty this isn’t your fault. None of this was you baby.” Alice placed a kiss on Betty’s head, laying her down and tucking her in. “Try to get some more sleep. We’ll be here when you wake up.” Betty nodded at her mother and then looked at Jughead.

                “Can I have a minute to talk to Jughead? Alone?” Betty sat up, ready to face whatever came next. Jughead smiled lightly as Alice and Hal both kissed Betty on the head and then left the room, promising to bring back coffee and some real food.    

                “Betts, I love you. I didn’t stop loving you and I promise that I’m never going to. You don’t need to protect me. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” Jughead held onto Betty’s hand staring into her emerald eyes with every word he spoke. Trying to prove to her in some poetic way that he meant everything he said. “You gave me one hell of a scare; I never wanna be without you again. Okay?” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Betty smiled tiredly.

                “Okay.” She uttered out, kissing him for the briefest second and laying back down to get some rest. Jughead stroked her hair until he was sure she was asleep. Watching her chest rise and fall at a steady rate reminded him that this was all going to be okay. He has Betty. She’s alive and the Black Hood has another thing coming if he thinks that Jughead if ever going to leave Betty’s side again.

 

He was a man in love.                                                                                               


End file.
